French footballers including Andre-Pierre Gignac and Anthony Knockaert were among those to pay tribute to Nicollin, who memorably dyed his hair orange and blue after Montpellier won a shock Ligue 1 title in the 2011-12 season.

"My favourite president, how sad, my thoughts are with Laurent Nicollin and his family," Gignac wrote on Twitter.

Knockaert posted: "How sad to learn of the death of a man like Loulou Nicollin ... Life is cruel #RIP #LEGEND."